Prefabricated artificial tooth retaining member



Nov. 6, 1951 l. NEUSTADTER 2,573,804

PREFABRICATED ARTIFICIAL TOOTH RETAINING MEMBER Filed May 5, 1949 as x 1 7 21 21 31 HUNT Q KDM 22 /20- I 35 g 34 35 30 2e 25 ii EIQJEI 4 q INVENTOR.

fatentecl Nov. 6 1951 TREFABRIQAHZED ARTIFICIAL room #:REilAIN MEMBER.

---Irving Neusta-dter, BrooklynfN. Y.

1 Armenia-Ma a.

v 1 claim.

"This invention' relates to dental restorations "'of the type commonlyknown as dentalbrid'ges or bridgework. A' dentalbridge consistsbf one 'or'more artificial teeth mounted in a one' pie'ce "metal frame between two crownsor abutments "which are made to fit over" the adjacentgnatural teeth. 'In accordancewith presence practiceTthe making, forming, fitting and shapingof "the jonepiecemetal frame is a task which requires'much "skill; takes" 'much' time and is expensive.

The object of "this invention is'to'provide new means and a newmethod for constructing-the metal frame between theabutment's whereby'the tedious and expensive work inm'akingthe usual one-piece frame may be eliminated. The*inven 'tion is embodied inpre-fabricated artificial tooth retaining members which may 'besol'dered directly to and between the abutments of thebridge so as to constitute and form a metal frame'for the support and retention of artificial teeth'molded about the members. By using such pre-fabricated members, the frame between the abutments is made quickly and much-time and labor is saved.

A-metal frame for a dental bridge made in accordance with this invention will consist of one or more separate individual pre-fabricated members soldered to each other and to the abutments between the latter. The members are new means for mounting the artificial teeth in the bridge. The securing of the pre-fabricated members to one another and to the abutments constitutes a new method for constructing the metal frame of the bridge. It is believed thatthe prefabricated members and the methodof using them is entirely new'in'the art.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention the latter is disclosed embodied inprefabricated tooth "retaining membersadapted-"for use with both posterior and anteriorteeth "in either an'upp'er or a lower" restoration. Two forms of such members are shown in the drawing. The selection of either form depends.-,upon the .local conditions and the nature of the restoration to be made.

. Figs. 1, .2, 3 and 4 are, respectively, tep;.f-ront, bottom and side views of one of the-formsbf pre-fabricatedmembers'embodying the invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a front and side view of an artificial tooth supported by and molded about a pre-fabricated member of the form shown in Figs. 1-6.

Fig. '7 is a view of a bridge consisting of two abutments and two members of the form shown in Figs. 1-6.

1949.; SQ FiaIJEND. 91.4.4.4

(Cli'32j6) T2 Figs. 8, 9, :10 andll are, respectively, top, front, bottom and side views of another form of prefabricated member embodying the invention.

Fig. 12 is a sectional viewon the line 12-12 5 of Fig. 9.

' Fig. l3visa front andside view of an artificial .toothsupported by and molded about a prefabricated member-of the :form shownin Figs. -8-l2.

1 Fig. 14 is a view eta-bridge consisting of two :--abutments-and twomembers of the form shown in-Figs. 8-13.

Fig. 15 is:a view --of abridge as it appears mounted between twonatural teeth and in which two artificial teeth are retained by two members of the-two different forms shown in-the preceding views.

Fig. 16 is a-sectional view on the'line I6-16 of Fig. 17 showing the retaining member forma- 0 -tion of Figs. 8-l2-applied to an anterior-tooth.

Fig. 17 is a rear view-of the anterior tooth shown in Fig. 16. I -The.prefabricated :tooth retaining'mem-ber 20 .shown in Figs. 17.is of U -formation comprising a transverse top occlusal portion 2! with two dependinglegs or mesial-distal members 22, -22. The-occlusal surface is of-whatever formation is required .for a particular position in the mouth. .The legs-extenddownwardly (upwardly in a lower restoration) from-the-occlusal portion and have slightly curved sides 23, 23 to conformto the -.c.urved:sides of teeth. The legs are of less fore and .aftdimension than the occlusal portion as vshown in Figs. 5 and 6 and so that the: legsare invisible in the final-installation. The occlusal portion is relatively thick and has its front and rear portions inclined angularly downward towards-the legs as shown at .24, 24 to provide good abuttingsurfaces for the artificial tooth'body 40 and permit grinding, if any,-With0ut appreciably diminishing the strength of the member. The legs22are likewise shaped with angularly inclined surfacesasat 50, so that the molded tooth is held firmly against the. inclined surfaces of the-member. .A tooth reinforcing element-'25, "such. as a. pin, peg or wire, extendsfrom the occlusal portion between the legs.

In constructing a metal bridge frame as shown in Fig. 7 the two abutments or crowns 26, 26 are formed in the usual known manner. Thereafter one or more U-members 20 are placed between the abutments and soldered thereto and to one another. The members 20 constitute and form a frame for the retention of artificial teeth 56 between the abutments. The occlusal surfaces ing to the impression usually taken and is much less expensive and takes much less time than doing the work by the present method. Thereafter the artificial teeth are formed, molded and cast onto the metal bridge as is the present practice with one-piece frames.

upper or lower. The member 40 comprises the same parts as the member 30, compare Figs. 12 and 16. In Figs. 16 and 17 the two legs of the H are marked 4|, 4|. The connecting shelf is marked 42 and the band 43. The legs terminate short of the incisal edge 44 of the tooth 45. Otherwise the use of the member 40 in a bridge construction is the same as above described.

In manufacturing the tooth retaining members and offering them for sale to the industry, the members will be graded in a suitable number of sizes adapted to be used in the mouth to retain I artificial teeth. The thicknesses and shapes of the members allow for such grinding as may be Fig. 6 shows an artificial tooth 2! retained by an H-member 20. portion is visible from the front. The legs are invisible. Their curvedsides 23 merge with and lie flush with the curved sides of the tooth. The latter is held strongly in the grip of the legs and by the reinforcing element 25. The member provides an all metal biting surface 2| of the artificial tooth. However, this may not always be necessary or desirable, and the invention therefore includes another form of'tooth retaining member such as shown in Figs. 8-14.

In these views the retaining member is of H-formation comprising two sides or legs 3|, 3| connected in the middle by a reinforcing shelf 32 having perforations 33. The legs are also connected below the shelf by a semi-circular rear band 34 having a thin bottom edge 35. The legs 3| are vertically of substantially triangular formation as seen in Fig. 9, the base of the triangle being at the top (bottom in an upper restoration). The portions 36 form exposed biting points or surfaces on each side of the tooth as seen in Fig. 13 where the right hand side view shows the surfaces of the ortions 36 flush with the occlusal surface 31 of the tooth 38.

Fig. 14 shows a metal bridge in which the frame between the abutments 26 is formed of two H- members 30, 30. The placing, fitting, adjusting and grinding, if any, of the H-member 30 is done in the same manner as explained with reference to the U-member 20. The members 20 and 30 have the common feature of leg portions for gripping the artificial tooth with a reinforcing element between the legs. The U-formed member, Fig. 2, has the reinforcing element 25. The H-formed member, Fig. 9, has the reinforcing element 32 with apertures 33 through which the plastic substance of the tooth is forced, as will be understood.

Only an edge of the occlusal surface is seen when the U-member is used, whereas the H- member is entirely invisible from the front. The rear band 34 serves as an additional gripping member for the tooth and lies flush with the surface thereof. Either the U-member or the H- member is adapted for use with posterior teeth, either upper or lower.

Figs. 16 and 17 show an H-formed retaining member adapted for use with an anterior tooth,

Only an edge 28 of the occlusal needed for fitting between sizes.

There may be bridge restorations in which both members 20 and 30 may be used. Fig. 15 illustrates a completed bridge comprising the abutments 26, a retaining member 20 and a retaining member 30, all being soldered together as indicated at 60. The natural teeth which bear'the abutments are marked 6|, 6|. The two artificial teeth which are retained by the retaining members are marked 62, 63. The gum line is shown at 64. Fig. 15 illustrates that the occlusal surface 2| of member 20, and the surface portion 36 of member 30, form continuations of the occlusal surfaces of the adjacent teeth, respectively.

The embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawing are shown very much enlarged. Depending upon the restoration to be made, the proper size and type of tooth retaining member will be selected and fitted between the abutments or other dental anchorage member and then soldered in place. The bridge will then be completed according to present practice.

I claim:

A pre-fabricated member for retaining artificial teeth in dental bridgework comprising an integrally preformed body of substantial U-shaped formation having a horizontally disposed transverse portion, the upper surface of which is formed to imitate the occlusal surface of a tooth, a smaller smooth under surface and inwardly sloping front and rear smooth surfaces joining said upper and under surfaces, vertically disposed mesial-distal side legs depending from said transverse portion at the sides thereof, said legs being thinner at the bottom than at the top and having outer curved surfaces and a supporting pin depending from the under surface of said transverse portion and spaced equidistantly between the said legs.

IRVING NEUSTADTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,742,310 Floyd Jan. 7, 1930 1,753,644 Burden Apr. 8, 1930 1,937,345 Jackman Nov. 28, 1933 2,111,787 Knowles Mar. 22, 1938 2,129,861 Morton Sept. 13, 1938 

